COMMENTS
The best referrals come from clients because they know what it is like working with you. They have first hand experience. Others might refer you if they've heard about you, but they don't really understand how your business works and how it can benefit someone. So I think you can take referrals from non-clients, but the best referrals and the ones that become clients are usually from clients.
Very well said, Shannon. I was trying to spit that out, but it wasn't coming. Appreciate you saying it so eloquently.
Well, I don't think its that they are not equipped. I think it is that they don't know what a perfect prospect looks like for you. You have to educate them.
Lots has been written on this topic by Paul McCord on his Sales and Sales Management blog. If I remember correctly, he suggests you spend time educating everyone you network with on what a perfect prospect for you looks like. For instance, our perfect prospect is a technology company with over $10M in revenues or venture funding that wants to increase the productivity and yield of their inside sales team....pretty specific.
I think if you educate your network, you will reap the rewards. Make sense?
http://www.chatandshop.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkK4Cl53aQk
I think a lot also depends on why someone is not your client. If you know for a fact that someone loves your service but simply cannot afford it at this time,a referral from such person may be worth pursuing. Also, we should be able to make judgment calls about how much time and energy to spend on someone we know is not a qualified referral. So, I'll take referrals but won't bother spending too much time on "selling" to them.
Sustenance of every business is dependent on sales. The sales force needs continuous inputs in the form of sales leads for follow ups, closure of sales, and revenue generation. Thus Targeted sales leads are at the core of successful business development.